Hinged control box assembly for an air conditioner unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639083-B2
Application number	US-202016924690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2020
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A recreational vehicle air conditioner (RVAC) includes a ceiling-mount indoor panel positioned over an opening in the ceiling of a recreational vehicle and a control box assembly including a first box portion and a second box portion. The first box portion is positioned above the ceiling-mount indoor panel and the second box portion is pivotally connected to the first box portion with a hinge, such that it is pivotable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The ceiling-mount indoor panel defines a control box recess that at least partially receives the second box portion when in the open configuration and a blank plate covers the control box recess when the second box portion is in the closed configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recreational vehicle air conditioner, comprising:
a ceiling-mount indoor panel defining an air inlet, an air outlet, and a control box recess; and
a control box comprising a first box portion and a second box portion, the first box portion positioned above the ceiling-mount indoor panel, the second box portion connected to the first box portion with a hinge and being pivotable between a closed configuration and an open configuration on the hinge, wherein the second box portion is seated at least partially within the control box recess in the open configuration, wherein the air inlet defines an inlet depth measured along the transverse direction and the control box recess defines a recess depth measured along the transverse direction, the recess depth being greater than the inlet depth.

2. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the control box is positioned at least partially over the air inlet.

3. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 2 , wherein the air inlet defines an inlet flow area and the air outlet defines an outlet flow area, the inlet flow area being substantially similar to the outlet flow area.

4. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet defines an inlet width measured along the lateral direction and the control box recess defines a recess width measured along the lateral direction, the recess width being greater than half of the inlet width.

5. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
a blank plate removably mounted over the control box recess, the blank plate securing the control box in the closed position and being removable to access the control box.

6. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the control box recess has a rectangular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction.

7. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet and the air outlet each have a rectangular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction.

8. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the ceiling-mount indoor panel is constructed from metal.

9. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , wherein the second box portion nested within the first box portion in the closed configuration and is pivoted away from the first box portion on the hinge in the open configuration.

10. The recreational vehicle air conditioner of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic control panel mounted to the second box portion of the control box.

11. A recreational vehicle, comprising:
a ceiling defining an opening;
a ceiling-mount indoor panel defining an air inlet, an air outlet, and a control box recess; and
a control box assembly mounted to the ceiling-mount indoor panel, the control box assembly comprising:
a first box portion positioned above the ceiling-mount indoor panel;
a second box portion pivotally connected to the first box portion and being movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the second box portion is seated at least partially within the control box recess in the open configuration, wherein the air inlet defines an inlet width measured along the lateral direction and the control box recess defines a recess width measured along the lateral direction, the recess width being greater than half of the inlet width.

12. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the control box assembly is positioned at least partially over the air inlet.

13. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the air inlet defines an inlet depth measured along the transverse direction and the control box recess defines a recess depth measured along the transverse direction, the recess depth being greater than the inlet depth.

14. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the control box assembly further comprises:
a blank plate removably mounted over the control box recess, the blank plate securing the second box portion in the closed position.

15. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the control box recess has a rectangular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction.

16. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the air inlet and the air outlet each have a rectangular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to a vertical direction.

17. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the air inlet defines an inlet flow area and the air outlet defines an outlet flow area, the inlet flow area being substantially similar to the outlet flow area.

18. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the second box portion nested within the first box portion in the closed configuration and is pivoted away from the first box portion in the open configuration.

19. A recreational vehicle air conditioner, comprising:
a ceiling-mount indoor panel defining an air inlet, an air outlet, and a control box recess; and
a control box comprising a first box portion and a second box portion, the first box portion positioned above the ceiling-mount indoor panel, the second box portion connected to the first box portion with a hinge and being pivotable between a closed configuration and an open configuration on the hinge, wherein the second box portion is seated at least partially within the control box recess in the open configuration, wherein the control box further comprises a blank plate removably mounted over the control box recess, the blank plate securing the second box portion in the closed position.

20. The recreational vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet defines an inlet width measured along the lateral direction and the control box recess defines a recess width measured along the lateral direction, the recess width being greater than half of the inlet width.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Henderson Richard Dustin
• Ratchford Cody Michael

Classifications

• B60H2001/00235

  Devices in the roof area of the passenger compartment · CPC title

• B60H1/00514

  Details of air conditioning housings · CPC title

• B60H1/00364 Primary

  for caravans or trailers · CPC title

• B60H1/00535

  Mounting or fastening of the housing to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60P3/32

  comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles (tents or canopies, in general E04H15/00) · CPC title